Some of the mystery as to why so many people feel Kent County has become a more expensive place to live seems to have been partially solved. According to a new study by the University of Washington and the Center for Women’s Welfare, it has, in fact, become more expensive. Kent, along with Queen Anne’s, showed some of the state’s highest increases in expenses for families to cover just essential costs of living, including basics like rent, food, and utilities.
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Maryland 2012 (which can be viewed here), sponsored by the Maryland Community Action Partnership, shows significant increases in costs related to housing and daycare in particular.
As noted in the the study, Kent and Queen Anne’s counties experienced some of the highest increases in child care costs (115% and 91% respectively) in ten years, while Dorchester increased at the lowest rate (28%).
The Self-Sufficiency Standard has increased in all Maryland counties over the past decade for the three-person family (one adult, one preschooler, and one school-age child) by an average of 54%, or an average of 4.9% per year. The largest increases (over 70%) are found in Anne Arundel, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. The single largest increase (92%) occurred in Queen Anne’s County.
As the above chart indicates, one adult in Kent County needs $11.02 an hour to be self-sufficient. One adult with one pre-schooler needs to make $17.76 an hour. If you are a single parent living with one schoolage child, you’ll need to make at least $21.92 an hour per household. By comparison, that is only $1.57 more affordable than Baltimore County or a city like Denver.
Since 2010, the cost of covering the basics if you are a single parent with two children can be up to $47,000. In 2001, it cost nearly half that to maintain the same size family, at around $26,712.
Queen Anne’s County saw the biggest cost increases in housing and child care. For example, housing for a family of three now costs $1,518 a month, a 110 percent increase, the study says. Childcare went up 91 percent, to $1,425.
There has been a 30 percent increase over the past five years in people seeking assistance from the state-funded rental allowance program, which provides residents with rental subsidies, with the goal of moving them to permanent housing.
However, according to the Maryland Department of Housing’s Eastern Shore office in Cambridge, state subsidized rental assistance is currently a non-entity in the Eastern Shore, including Kent County.
“Our waiting lists are currently closed, new applications are not being accepted,” is the pre-recorded message prepared for callers inquiring about the program.
Those who are turned away are referred to other agencies that may be able to provide them with services, but most often residents are left with no options.
Simon Kelly contributed to the article.
Steve Payne says
The Town of Chestertown is actually pretty good when it comes to housing referrals and help. But new Sec 8 vouchers have been almost nonexistent state wide in at least the last 10 years.
S Pennington says
Way Way WAY too much taxes in this state, in this country. According to the chart above, TAXES are the second biggest expense, at almost 20% of a couple’s income. Am I the only person who thinks this is a crime?
Cut the government, cut the taxes, and give people a chance to live for themselves, not a bunch of overpaid and underworked softies with gold plated benefits and guaranteed raises.
Lainey Harrison says
Well, you kent countians did real well moving up the “cost” ladder, but we beat you! Woo-Hoo! QAC is number 1!!! I am so ashamed.
S. Pennington,
As a wife of a county paramedic, I can assure you he is not underworked, overpaid, does not have gold-plated benefits and he hasnt seen a raise in over 4 years. He is not a Board of Education employee.
Jack Dorsey says
So Lainey feels that the Board of Education employees – teachers – are underworked and overpaid? Am I reading that right?
Joe Diamond says
Hmmmmmmm!
Two rural counties are slightly cheaper to live in than two metro centers.
Then the is the old one liner:
“How do you like the eastern shore?”
Don’t know, it is dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home from work.”
Joe
Lainey Harrison says
Jack,
BOE employees have been spared the worst of it these last several years. Only in this current budget year have they not received pay increases, be they steps, colas, pay for performance or any other name. Only in this budget year have they been furloughed. All the other county employees have been dealing with Zero pay increases, furloughs, increased pension and health care for the last 4 years.
This does ruffle my feathers. Paramedics, teachers, police – they are all public servants paid with our tax dollars, we need them all equally but pay them differently. It is a shame the way they have been treated differently becuase that does cause divisive feelings amongst them all.
Jack Dorsey says
Kent County teachers haven’t gotten anything in 4 years – not even steps, you must mean QA’s .
Win Trice says
All of the above are consequences of no growth policies.
Had enough yet?
Sheila says
By the above chart I need to make $21.82 per hour. I’m not even close to making that. No wonder I have to have several part-time jobs to try and keep my bills paid.
Jonnycage says
Third worst school system in MD, top 5 most expensive places to live and nooooooo amenities? Seems we are making the right decision to move away. There seems to be very little advantages to living in kent county for young families. With gas prices the way they are, it’s killing any and all recreational opportunities having needed to travel an hour or more for services, shopping and fun. Good luck kent county! May the force and the retires be with you.